Column: Muslim women face all kinds of assumptions. Let’s look behind the headscarves
Published: Thursday, March 29, 2012
"DO YOU KNOW what it's like to represent a billion human beings every day you walk out of your house? To be looked at as the representative of an entire world religion?
"A world religion?
"Do you know what that's like?
"It's exhausting. And it can feel so heavy.
"Sometimes it makes me angry.
"And sometimes... I'm just tired of it."
- Hijabi Monologue, 'I'm Tired'
Many Muslim women share this experience - the experience of facing an entire set of assumptions about their faith, politics, preferences, education and class - based on whether or not they choose to wear a headscarf.
Last weekend, I asked this same question - Do you know what it's like to represent a billion human beings every day - which Hijabi Monologues performers have asked thousands of Americans.